ecological restoration strategies in agricultural ...elti.fesprojects.net/2014 peace...

9 de September 2014, La Pitaloza, Herrera Jacob L. Slusser, Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program

ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con:

Ecological Restoration Strategies in Agricultural Landscapes of Panama

What is ELTI? ELTI is… • An initiative of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental

Studies

• In collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama) and the National University of Singapore (Asia)

ELTI’s Mission • Offer land-use decision makers the knowledge, tools, abilities

motivation and contacts to advance the protection, restoration and sustainable management of productive landscapes


ELTI’s Audience: Decision makers

- Ministry officials, farmers, extensionists, community representatives and other important people who make land use decisions in modified landscapes

ELTI’s Programs:

Training Program - Workshops, field courses, conferences, on-line courses

Leadership Program - Work with ELTI course alumni in two principal areas: 1) personal

development; (2) projects and initiatives

Summary of ELTI

September 9, 2014, La Pitaloza, Herrera Jacob L. Slusser, Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program


Ecological Restoration Strategies in Agricultural Landscapes of Panama

Panama’s land use context

Cubertura boscosa en Panamá, 2014. Fuente: ANAM

• More than 30% of Panama’s forests were lost between 1960 y 2000

• Deforestation rate has decreased in the last 10 years due to tougher environmental regulation, land abandonment and reforestation efforts

• While there has been an increase in ecological restoration information, it does not often reach its audience and therefore land degradation continues due to inappropriate land use and management decisions

Mapa de Cobertura Boscosa y Uso de Suelo 2012

Reforestation en Panamá

Tectona grandis,

24,731

Pachira quinata ,

1,505

Pinus caribaea,

1,963

Others, 1,974

Kaya

senegalensis,

1,288Acacia mangium,

1,227

Área reforestada en la República de Panamá (hectáreas) por especie, 1992-2002. Fuente: ANAM 2003

Why plant exotic species? 1. Scientific studies and extensive silvicultural science knowledge 2. Characteristics for poor soils and harsh climates, but also less natural predators 3. High performance and quick rotation 4. High demand by international markets 5. Because they are different (fad)

Reforestation with exotic species can restore certain characteristics but cannot recuperate the complete integrity of the ecosystem.

Why plant native tree species?

Generate additional benefits for the wellbeing of humans and ecosystems, such as:

1. Support more biodiversity

• (Lamb et al., 2005; Harvey et al., 2008; Rodrigues et al. 2009)

2. Improve the provision and regulation of water • (Bruijnzeel, 2004; van Dijk and Keenan, 2007; Ogden et al., 2013)

3. Reduce the susceptibility of ecosystems and different risks • (Chazdon et al., 2009; Calle et al., 2010)

4. Provide cultural and economic valuable species • (Garen et al., 2009; Garen et al. 2011; Hall et al., 2011)

5. Increase the productivity in agricultural landscapes • (Murgueitio et al., 2011)

• Agroforestry and agro-successional systems • Silvopastoral systems (SPS) and intensive silvopastoral systems (iSPS)

Many of benefits but very little knowledge!

Consequences of unsustainable land use…

Can conservation and production live together?

The conflict between conservation and production…

• Ecological restoration is an activity that deliberately initiates or accelerates the

recuperation of an ecosystem in regards to its health, integrity and sustainability

• How can we work with nature against of working against nature?

The function of forests

What do forests do?

Why are forests important? Provide ecosystem services

• The goods and benefits that we obtain from the functions of ecosystems for our wellbeing

1. Production services

2. Support and regulation services

3. Cultural services

Production services

1. Water • Human consumption, cattle,

agriculture

2. Food • Fruit and seeds for human

consumption, cattle and wildlife

3. Wood • Sale, construction, furniture,

paper, artisan works, musical instruments, etc.

4. Medicine • Pharmaceutical • Campo medicine

Foto: STRI

Support and regulation services

1. Soil formation • Maintains soil fertility, structure and

associated organisms • Nutrient cycles

2. Water regulation

• Water infiltration and storage • Decrease of surface runoff and

flooding risks • Maintains stream flow in dry season • Maintains quality of water

3. Regulation of climate • Climate change • Micro-climate (shade)

4. Biodiversity • Pollination • Instrument of equilibrium and

biological control of pests

www.taringa.net/ www.fao.org/forestry ellaboratoriodedarwin http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detrit%C3%ADvoro

La vida en los suelos

• ¿Qué es el suelo?

http://www.afinidadelectrica.com.ar/articulo.php?IdArticulo=172

Bacterias y hongos Protistas y nematodos Micro artrópodos Termitas, hormigas y

lombrices

• ¡El suelo es un mundo! • El suelo está habitado por millones de

animales y microorganismos

• 1 gramo de suelo = 1 billón de bacterias

• 1 m2 = 2 millones de nematodos

• ¡Sus interacciones y procesos juegan un papel grande con la fertilidad de los suelos!

• Si estos organismos mueren, el suelo también “se muere” (no sirve para mantener el crecimiento vigoroso de las plantas)

Ingenieros del suelo

• Se forman estructuras como túneles y hoyos

• Son importantes para los procesos del suelo

• Porosidad del suelo

• Mejor drenaje y aeración

• Infiltración, retención y almacenaje de agua

• Reciclaje de nutrientes • Descomposición de

materia orgánica

• Ayudan a la producción de plantas vigorosas

Foto: Elena Velásquez



Los árboles y la vida del suelo

• Los árboles influyen los 4 elementos de la fertilidad del suelo:

1. Favorece y protege los ingenieros y vida del suelo

2. Mejora la calidad física del suelo y lo protege de la erosión

3. Bombea los nutrientes hacia la capa vegetal del suelo y algunas especies fijan nitrógeno

4. Aumenta la capacidad del suelo de almacenar agua

• El árbol provee la materia orgánica que es el

alimento base de casi todos los insectos, gusanos, bacterias, hongos y otros organismos

• La deforestación, la quema, la agricultura,

modifican este frágil equilibrio

¡Los árboles bombea abono para el suelo!

Goldposters.com

Regulación del agua: El ciclo hidrológico

Regulación del agua

• La materia orgánica es importante para la capacidad de almacenamiento de agua

• Protegen el suelo de la erosión ya que frenan el agua de lluvia y evitan la escorrentía superficial

• Los raíces de los árboles rompen y desmenuzan las capas duras del suelo y mejoran la infiltración

• Mantienen mejor calidad y mayor flujo de agua en la estación seca

• Como zona de amortiguamiento en áreas ribereñas para capturar: sedimentos, agro-químicos, estiércoles para proteger las quebradas de contaminación

Regulación del agua: El bosque funciona como una esponja

BOSQUE POTRERO

Water regulation: Forests function like a sponge!

Regulación del clima

Fotosíntesis • Las plantas y árboles utilizan

CO2, absorben la energía solar, agua/sales minerales para producir biomasa y expulsar oxigeno como desecho

Calentamiento global • Secuestración (almacenaje) de

emisiones de CO2 que viene de la quema de combustibles fósiles (gas, gasolina, diésel)

Regulación del clima: Efecto invernadero

Regulación del clima: Las consecuencias del calentamiento global

Desequilibro del clima

• Consecuencias • Temperaturas altas • Paisajes en cambio • Flora y fauna en peligro • Aumento de nivel del mar • Aumento del riesgo de sequias,

incendios e inundaciones • Desequilibrio de nutrientes para las

plantas • Tormentas más fuertes • Poco flujo de agua en estación seca • Demasiada agua en poco tiempo

• Pérdidas económicas • Disminuye la producción agrícola • Daños de inundaciones

Regulación del microclima

• Los árboles modifican el clima en el mundo, pero también en la finca • Reducen la temperatura y la mantienen más constante • Disminuyen la transpiración de las plantas y mantienen la humedad • Protegen contra los efectos nocivos del viento (rompen el viento)

La biodiversidad

Los árboles aumenta la diversidad y son un instrumento de equilibrio • Los árboles funcionan como una

barrera contra las plagas

• Los árboles hospedan muchos animales, aves e insectos que brindan un control biológico para las plagas del suelo

• Atraen animales e insectos para polinizar los cultivos

• Dispersión de semillas, especialmente arboles de maderas muy finas

• Trae mucho turismo al país/interior

Servicios culturales

• Estéticos Ornamentales

• Espirituales

El poder de un bosque viejo

• Culturales Artesanía – sombreros, casas Instrumentos

• Ecoturismo/recreación Fuente de empleo

En resumen: La función de los bosques

Bienes y servicios de producción • Agua, comida, madera, medicina

Provisión y regulación de servicios ambientales:

• Formación de suelos • Regulación de agua • Regulación del clima • Biodiversidad • Servicios culturales

Nos dan los bienes y servicios para practicar la ganadería y aumentar y mantener buena producción

Forest ecology

• Forest ecology is the study of the interrelation of the processes, interactions, flora and fauna of the ecosystem

Dinámicas Forestales

The physical and biological forces that form and change a forest The changes that alter the composition and structure of a forest Two basic elements of forest dynamics are:

1. Disturbances 2. Succession (the stages of growth)

• The forest is always in a process of change!

Wet and dry forest ecosystems

Structural characteristics Wet Dry

Quantity of tree species 50-200 35-90

Canopy height (meters) 20-84 10-40

Canopy stratifications 3 o más 1-3

Basal area (m2/ha) 20-75 17-40

Biomass (t/ha) 269-1186 78-320

Fuente: Murphy y Lugo (1986)

Forest ecology: Disturbance and regeneration

• Natural disturbances • Storms, wind, landslides, pests and

disease, fire

• Human disturbances • Logging, slash and burn, agrochemical

use, fire, development

• Regeneration paths 1. Advanced regeneration 2. Sprouting/coppicing from roots 3. Seed bank 4. Seed rain

Grafico: G. Bloomfield, ELTI

Forest ecology: Phases of forest succession

The growth phases/stages of a forest

Phases of Forest succession 1. Disturbance 2. Regeneration 3. Competitive stem exclusion 4. Understory reinitiation 5. Climax

Intermediates Cimax Pioneers

Forest Succesional Guilds: Pioneer species

Charateristics • First to arrive to disturbed

areas • Grow very quickly • Prefer open sunlight • Cannot tolerate shade • Seeds dispersed by wind • Very soft wood

Short lived pioneers: guarumo, balso, guácimo, gallinazo Long lived pioneers: cedro amargo, zorro

Intermediates Climax Pioneers

Forest Succesional Guilds: Intermediate species

Characteristics • Often present in young forests • Slower growth • Tolerate open areas but prefer

shade • Can remain in understory for

long periods • Mix of wind and

bird/bat/mammal seeds • Wood is hard (high density)

but easy to work

Examples: roble, jagüe, cocobolo, cedro espino

Intermediates Pioneros Clímax

Forest Succesional Guilds: Late successional/climax species

Intermediates Climax Pioneers

Characteristics • Present in young forests, but

only in understory • Grow very slowly • Cannot survive in open

conditions • Prefer shade • Remain in the understory for

many years • Large fruits and seeds dispersed

by mammals • Very hard/dense wood

Examples: madroño, moro, níspero, berbá, espavé, tempisque, algarrobo, muchas especies de palmas

Arrested forest succession

Often, the phases of succession are arrested, retarded or altered in some way Lianas (vines) • Need the trees to grow • Competes for light and nutrients • Strangle and weight down the

crowns of trees Invasive exotic species • Aggressive • Competes for light and nutrients

Management • Intervene (very expensive) • Cut, apply herbicides, plant fast

growing dense shade species

Forest disturbance and soil degradation

¿How have we degraded the forests? • Mining and extraction of oil • Deforestation (extraction de timber) • Conventional ranching • Agriculture

Conflict between development and conservation

Conventional agriculture and ranching practices

Overexploitation of soils

• Complete removal of tree species and seed sources

• Introduction of exotic/ aggressive pasture grasses

• Overuse of agrochemical

• Recurrent fires

• Overgrazing

Consequences of conventional ranching

• Degradation of the provision and regulation of environmental services

• Erosion and loss of soil fertility (more acidic and loss of structure)

• Low quality and quantity of water

• Loss flora and fauna

• Longer dry spells and drought

• Less productivity per hectare

• High mortality of cattle and loss of crops

• Agricultural sector threatened

Fragmented landscapes and degraded ecosystem services

Assisted natural regeneration

Reforestation, agroforestry and silvopastoral systems

Intensity of the action

Adaptado de Chazdon 2008, Lamb et al. 2005

Range of restoration options

Cheaper More expensive

Range of restoration options for productive landscapes

Assisted natural

regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral

system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural

regeneration

Agro-successional

crops

Assisted natural

regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral

system (SPS)

Agroforestry

Range of restoration options for productive landscapes

Natural

regeneration

Agro-successional

crops

SPS: A multi-storied building of biomass

Dispersed

trees in

pastures

Live fences Mixed forage

banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of silvopastoral system (SPS) options

Why SPS? • Increased biomass • Improved nutrition • Less heat stress • Improved fertility and production • More efficient use of land • Protects/restores ecosystem services

How? • Use native/local forage species • Divide pastures • Implement pasture rotations • Deliver water to cattle (quality and

quantity)

Menu of SPS options

• Moderate micro and macro climates (climate change)

• Refuge, forage and fruit, wood, etc. • Maintain biodiversity and corridor connectivity • Maintains nutrient cycles and improves soils

(legumes) • Decreases velocity of rain and improves water

infiltration (decrease erosion, increase stream flow)

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of SPS options

• Provides refuge, forage and fruit for cattle • Provides woods and non timber forest

products • Maintains biological corridors • Sequesters carbon (climate change) • Improves and maintains soils (especially

legumes) • Decreases the velocity and improves the

infiltration of water

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of SPS options

• Improves quality of cattle feed (proteins, minearls, sugars, fibers and vitamins)

• Improves the nutrition and diet of cattle • Improves fertility and productions of cattle • Improved quality and quantiy of cattle feed

in dry season • Used to prepage silage

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of SPS options

• Dual purpose system (meet, milk, wood, NTFPs)

• Produce valuable woods (long term) • Trees in pastures provide a multitude of

ecosystem services

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of SPS options

• Increases amount of forage trees and shrubs (5000-1000 p/Ha)

• Requires division of pasture in 2000m2 • Improves the control of pests and disease • Maintains biomass in summer • Provides an improved quality of food (proteins,

minerals, sugars, fibers and vitamins) • Improves the nutrition o f cattle • Improves fertility and production cattle

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Menu of SPS options

• Buffer zone used to capture sediment, agrochemicals, and manure (nitrogen)

• Decreases the velocity of water and flood risk

• Filters water into the water table.

Dispersed

trees in

pastures


banks

Intensive

silvopastoral

systems (iSPS)

Silvopastoral

systems

Restoration of

riparian areas

Spondias purpurea

Sistema Silvopastoril de APASPE Los Asientos

Spondias mombin

Gliricidia sepium

Guazuma ulmifolia, Cassia moschata

Luecaena leucocephala

Brachiaria decumbens Brachiaria brizantha

Acrocomia aculeata

Tithonia diversifolia

Enterolobium ciclocarpum, Albizia saman Copaifera aromatica

Jatropha curcas

22 native species (timber and fruit trees)

Guazuma ulmifolia

Shade and fruit trees and palms

Trees in live fences

Riparian restoration zones

Forrage shrubs

Pasture grass


Desmodium spp. Teramnus labialis Native forrages

Productivity and biodiversity of intensive silvopastoral systems (iSPS)

428

258

91

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Bosque Silvopastoril Potrero

Ab

un

da

nci

a

(Slusser, J. 2013. Yale F&ES ELTI On-line)

(Giraldo et al. 2013)

Abundance of beetles

Available forage (lbs.)

Restoration strategy diagnostics

$ $

Adequate land use?

Adequate land use planning

Economic restoration

Necessary to know the local context before you restore:

• Availability of labor?

• Cost of workers?

• Input costs?

• Are desired species available and appropriate for your area?

• Knowledge of systems and new technology/practices?

ARCHIVO ELTI

Foto: Emily Webster

Traditional reforestation versus natural regeneration

Natural regeneration Benefits

• Inexpensive ($100 p/ha/year)

• Minimum management can produce a diverse forest (biologically and economically valuable)

Disadvantages • Requires regeneration source • Adequate regeneration of desired species is a

challenge • Growth rates may not equal plantation rates*

Traditional reforestation Benefits • Plant timber desired timber species in desired

system (multiple objectives) • Organized system with history of scientific

information

Disadvantages • Cost and labor ($2000-$4000p/ha) • Buy seedlings, prepare land, set up system,

maintenance and protection

ARCHIVO ELTI

iSPSi with leucaena versus iSPS with guácimo

Guácimo Benefits

• Very inexpensive to establish (natural regeneration)

• High in digestible protein content, grows quickly and maintains most leaves in summer

• Multipurpose tree: Forage, fruit, shade

Disadvantages • Requires regeneration source • Requires pruning and thinning management • Culturally considered as a weed

Leucaena Benefits • High protein, fixes nitrogen, re-sprouts

quickly, maintains leaves in summertime

Disadvantages

• Does not function en acid soils

• Difficult to obtain seeds and other inputs

• Very costly to plant

ARCHIVO ELTI

Farm planning

ARCHIVO ELTI

ARCHIVO ELTI

Conclusions

• PCVs have an amazing opportunity to drive behavior change and promote sustainable practices

• Conservation and production can live together in the same landscape, without farmers having to quit

their traditional livelihoods

• Understanding ecological processes and the benefits that trees provide us helps us to utilize them to improve ecosystem services and also sustain production

• One has to reflect in the farmer’s personal situation (farm context, owner’s objectives, available resources) before implementing any restoration strategies

• One has to consider all of the menu of options and strategies to implement ecological restoration….there is not one magic system that will function for everyone

¡Gracias! Ing. Jacob L. Slusser Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program [email protected] www.elti.org


mailto:[email protected]

ecological restoration strategies in agricultural ...elti.fesprojects.net/2014 peace...

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